Frostbitten
by scarlett2112
Summary: Small town teacher Elena Gilbert is going back to the city for her wedding. After a blizzard strikes, she is forced to travel with a stranger who leaves her questioning her future plans.


Elena looks at herself in the mirror to put the finishing touches on her makeup. Tonight is her going away party, she's spent the last few months teaching in the small town of Haines, Alaska, much to the dismay of her fiancé Tyler Lockwood. With their wedding a week away, it's time for her to go home to Anchorage and prepare for the big day. Although she feels conflicted, loving this town and her people so much, she spritzes on her favorite perfume, slips into her coat, grabs her handbag and hurries out into the cold night air.

* * *

With her eyes on the stage, she watches her students acting out a play for her. Elena couldn't be more proud of them. The school has gone all out to say goodbye to her. Quite honestly, she'll miss this little town. Tyler's business interests are located in Anchorage, there's really no discussion about where they'll make their home.

She's snapped out of her thoughts when applause fills the room as the children have finished their play. They take turns coming to Elena to say goodbye and give her a hug. She picks up the box of Hershey chocolate bars she bought and gives one to each of them. Afterwards their parents take them home, her coworkers surprise her with a punch, a cake and some balloons.

"Oh you, guys. Thank you so much," Elena's not surprised yet a little emotional about saying goodbye to these people. She laughs when she spies John trying to be discreet while pouring a small bottle of vodka into the punch. _ As if they won't taste it!_

She finishes her piece of cake then walks over to the window. Silvery flakes drift down, glittering in the bright light of the moon. The bare trees sway in the cold winter wind. Icicles on them drop like glass cracking and shattering. The weather is frosty and the snow is glittering like white sequins covering the ground. She's a little concerned about how hard the snow's coming down considering she's flying to Anchorage tomorrow on a little puddle jumper.

As the evening wears on, the snow comes down more intense. By the time it breaks up, there's at least six inches on the ground. Intricate patterns of ice float weightlessly downward from the gray sky above, each flake swirling and dancing, as an icy wind carries it down in a horizonal direction. Elena wipes away a few tears, hugs everyone goodbye then sets out into the night. Carefully she navigates the road back to her rental home.

Once inside, she takes a nice warm bath, puts on her pajamas and then crawls into bed. She considers calling Tyler but decides against it, turns out the lights and closes her eyes...

* * *

When Elena wakes up, she rolls on her back and stretches her arms straight up. As much as she wants to stay under the warm blankets, she throws them off and sits up. Staggering over to the window, she pulls the curtain back.

"What the," her eyes widen to the size of saucers when the entire window is covered with snow. Suddenly she feels caged in and runs out of her bedroom to the front door. Pulling it open, there's about a four inch gap at the top, otherwise there's a wall of packed snow.

"Oh. My. God." She slams the door shut before the snow collapses, preventing her from closing it. Rather than shower, she throws a few layers of clothes on then grabs her suitcases. Using a plate as a shovel, she scoops out a space big enough to slide her bags through and then tumbles out herself. Pulling her car keys out, she presses the automatic starter without response.

"Just perfect," she rolls her eyes. With her vehicle buried under four feet of snow, the battery is probably dead. Shaking her head, she picks up her things and starts trudging through the snow towards the small airport. Snow drops form the trees like confetti onto her wooly cap. She gazes at the untouched snow in front of her. The ground is as smooth as a cake and the snow falls like icing powder, perfecting it to its finest point. When she arrives at the small airport, there's only a snowmobile and a lumberjack appearing guy inside.

"Where the plane?" Elena approaches.

"I don't know," he says in frustration.

"I have a ticket, I'm getting married."

"Yeah well, I have a ticket too. We're not going anywhere."

"Where's the runway?"

"It's buried under four feet of snow," he points at it, looking at her like she has two heads.

Much to her consternation, he walks outside and jumps on his snow machine.

"You can't just leave me here," Elena follows after him.

"Watch me," he retorts, revving the engine.

"Stop please. You can't blame a girl for wanting to get to her wedding."

"Not my problem," the guy says over his shoulder and drives off, leaving Elena open mouthed as she watches him get smaller in the distance.

* * *

Having lived in this area for the last several months, she knows the Tyner family lives close to the airport. Fuming Elena trudges across the pristine snow, there's just so much of it and traversing the drifts is slow going. The scene is like something out of a long forgotten dream and the air is more pure than she ever remembers breathing.

Soon she reaches the farmstead and her eyes zero in on the snowmobile.

"Miss Gilbert, what are you doing here?" Mr. Tyner asks while lifting his hat to scratch his head.

"You can probably guess that I won't be getting a plane back to Anchorage for who knows when and I need to get to my wedding. Is that snowmobile for sale?"

"That depends on how much you're offering..."

"Mr. Tyner, please. I'm getting married," she pleads with him, turning on the tears for effect.

"Oh, don't cry, they'll freeze to your face. You can have it for $350. It's old."

"Deal," Elena reaches into her purse and pulls out the cash. After Mr. Tyner gasses it up and helps her load her baggage, she climbs on. The machine sits heavily on its skis, a testimony of the power of spreading weight over a large surface area. Its sleek cherry paint shines but is rendered dark in comparison to the snow that covers the mountain. Its nose is curved, aerodynamic and styled like the front of an Olympic bob-sled. When Elena fires up the engines the sound reverberates around the mountains, and though the machine is designed for power it is oddly juxtaposed to its surroundings. Everything else is silent, pristine, clean, and here is the snowmobile- sounding like a motorbike revving on a sleepy suburban street. She opens the throttle and moves away, effortlessly gliding over the crystalline snow.

* * *

It doesn't take Elena long to find that jerk's trail. Still fuming about him just leaving her, she follows it, speeding across the white landscape. The glare of the sun against the fresh blanket of snow makes it hard for her to see. Luckily, she soon catches up to the man who's stopped to have a drink of water it appears. Gritting her teeth, she turns the throttle to speed up and the next thing she knows, she's airborne and free falling into the air before landing in a heap, face down and unmoving.

Having heard her engine and the crash, he hurries over to Elena and carefully flips her over. He can't see her chest moving so he opens her coat and is about to press his hands against it to begin CPR when she lurches upright and starts swatting at him with fisted hands.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I was trying to save you," Damon spits, backing away from her.

"Save me?" she asks incredulously.

"Yes," his eyes dart to her clothing that is strewn all over and the snow machine that's side lying with one its runners torn off. Shaking his head, he walks back to his own. As he's about to straddle it again, Elena marches over to him.

"Are you going to leave me again?"

"Jesus, lady. What do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything from you. I just need a lift back to Anchorage. I'm getting married in a few days."

He sighs and looks up, meeting her stare. "One bag, that's all. And don't talk."

"My lips are sealed," she puts her thumb and finger to her mouth simulating closing a zipper. Then picks up her purse and a duffel bag. He secures it, then crawls on with Elena sliding on behind him. "What's your name?"

"Does it matter?" he pulls his hat down over his ears.

"Yes it does as a matter of fact. I'm Elena Gilbert."

"Fine...," he rolls his eyes, "Damon Salvatore, now hold on," he presses his foot on the gas pedal and they're flying over the snow leaving a cloud of fresh snow behind them.

* * *

Elena is an icicle and her teeth are chattering by the time Damon stops the snow machine at what looks to be an abandoned trapper's cabin. She hopes it is anyway. She slides off the bike and trudges through the snow to the door.

Opening it a crack, Damon peeks inside and finds it empty then steps aside to let Elena enter. "Look I don't know if someone lives here or not, but we're staying. I saw an ax outside so I'll split a few logs while you try to get a fire started."

"I've never started a few from scratch," Elena protests.

"A fire needs three things 1 - fuel, 2 - oxygen and 3 - a spark."

"Fine," Elena snaps and watches him back away and go outside. Looking around the cabin, she opens cupboards and drawers, sighing with relief when she finds some lighter fluid. Opening the wood stove, she sprinkles a good amount of it on the couple of charred logs that are already inside.

Outside, Damon is splitting the wood when all of sudden, there's a loud pop and flash of light. "Elena," he yells and runs inside, finding her with her arm on fire. He throws her over his shoulder, runs outside and drops her in a fluffy soft bank of snow, making sure to pat out the fire.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, just my pride. Thank you for helping me," she mentions and looks down at her burnt coat.

"Lady," he shakes his head, stands up and offers his hand. He picks up an armful of logs and goes inside, following after Elena. He stuffs the stove with the wood, and starts the fire without any trouble.

Elena moves to look out the window. Bare tree branches spike into the sky - no sign of life to be found anywhere. It's so dark she can barely see anything. There are small sounds of rustling bushes and the howl of the wind. She's tired, slips into her pajamas on and crawls under the covers.

"I'm just going to get my sleeping bag, I'll be right back."

"Are you sure, we can share the bed?"

"Nah, it's fine," he utters on his way out, returning moments later. Once they're settled, he blows out the candles and closes his eyes, letting sleep overcome him.

Elena tries to get a cellphone signal so she can call her family without much luck. Sighing, she sets it down, shifts onto her side. Hearing Damon snore, she lets her eyelids drop shut and soon is sleeping soundly.

Damon wakes up groggy at some point. Sitting upright, he crawls out of his sleeping bag. Yawning, he slips on his boots and coat then trudges outside through the snow to the outhouse. It's like they've been transported back in time to the turn of the twentieth century. His nose turns up at the noxious odor. He's starts to lower his zipper when an earth-shattering scream pierces the darkness.

"Fuck, what now?" he quickly relieves himself then runs back inside, his eyes widening at the sight. An older man, Grizzly Adams character with a full, flowing beard has a shotgun trained on Elena.

"This is my place, what are you doing here?" he swings around, pointing it at Damon's head.

"We thought it was abandoned, we were tired and cold," Damon explains, his eyes staring at Elena over the man's shoulder.

Backing up the guy moves so he can keep an eye on both of them. Using the weapon, he gestures Elena towards the door. "You get out of here," and turning to Damon, he adds, "You're staying."

Elena swallows thickly, throws her clothes on over her pajamas and puts on her coat. Walking over to Damon, she holds out her hand. "I need the keys."

He rolls his eyes and drops them in her hand. Elena nods at him then backs out of the cabin.

Before Damon can say anything, Elena sneaks back inside toting a log in her hand. Raising it, she strikes his back, knocking the old guy to his knees. Damon kicks the weapon away, grabs his coat and hightails it out of the cabin, jumping behind her as she speeds away, leaving a cloud of snow behind them.

The man runs after them but it's too late to stop them. "Dammit," he rubs the back of his head and retreats inside his cabin.

* * *

They drive till long after the sun comes up, Elena stops it so Damon can refill the tank with one of the gas cans he brought along. While he's doing that, she decides she has some business to do too. Since her bags got left behind at the cabin, she's wearing his extra jumpsuit.

Putting a little distance between them, using the trees and brush for cover, she starts to unzip it, rolling her eyes when it gets stuck. Gritting her teeth, she's bouncing from one foot to the other cause she has to go.

Damon is digging through one of the bags for some beef jerky. Suddenly he hears a crunching sound and a low growl. Recognizing the sound, he stops what he's doing. The huge bear saunters a little too close for his comfort. When Elena calls out for him, he runs after her, pulls her to the ground and covers her mouth.

In an almost imperceptible whisper, he tells her not to make a sound as he points to the intruder. Not 10 yards from Elena's head, stands the grizzly bear. Its teeth are exposed in an angry fashion. They are sharp, white daggers, hanging inside a dark moist cave ready to slice their bodies until they bleed to death. Its paws are rooted to the ground, but is no doubt ready to attack if they make any sudden movements. She's absolutely terrified but Damon holds her tight, silently urging her not to move or speak or let even a whimper escape.

The bear lumbers over to the snowmobile. Using its claws, the leviathan rips apart the bag with the beef jerky and in so doing, topples their transportation. After what seems like a millennia, it lumbers away allowing them to finally take a breath.

Getting up, Damon surveys the damage. "We're on foot now." He picks up what's left of their belongings and starts walking with Elena following behind.

When they reach a frozen lake, Damon drops their things. "We have to turn around."

"What? No! I have to be at the church in two days. There must be two feet of ice."

"Yeah but somewhere between here and that shore, that two feet of ice is going to dwindle down to a quarter of an inch."

"I say we cross it," she crosses her arms over her chest.

"Well, I didn't ask for your input."

"Sometimes I don't wait to be asked," she retorts, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Listen lady, my backside is mine to loose or save. Yours... See this is exactly why I mind my own business. Now you're my responsibility."

"I'm not, okay. I decided to come on this trip. All I'm saying is that if you're willing to try, I'll go with you."

"You realize if we do this, there's no going back..."

"Yes..."

"Okay," he starts off across the frozen lake, hoping against hope that they'll make it safely to the other side.

"You need to stay at least 4-6 feet back?"

"Who are you going to see? What's her name?

"Lily."

"What does she do? Hooters waitress, what? "

"Lady..." he starts but keeps walking.

Elena pauses when she hears the distinct sound of ice cracking. Terror washes through her as she looks down.

"Damon," she runs to catch him when the ice beneath them collapses, dropping them into the freezing depths of the lake. Adrenaline floods her system, It pumps and beats like it's trying to escape. She thinks her heart will explode and her eyes are wide with fear as she struggles to get both herself and Damon out. Her stomach is churning so fast she feels like she's going to vomit as she claws at the frozen surface of the lake, finally latching onto a root and pulling herself out.

Damon however is tiring quickly, his eyes are glazed and she thinks he's going to slip under the surface if she doesn't get him out. Her breaths are ragged and harsh as she grabs onto his jumpsuit and tries to get some leverage with which to pull him out. Her fingers are freezing and she can barely feel them but she doesn't let go. Summoning a strength she didn't know she had, she screams at the same time she launches a gargantuan effort, finally getting him out far enough that she can takes his arms and pull him to solid ground.

Elena collapses in a heap, her chest heaving from the spent exertion. Turning her head to Damon, she can see he's still in trouble. She quickly gathers some wood and grateful that one of their bags is dry, miraculously manages to start a fire. With some effort, she pulls him close to the fire to try to warm him up.

Sometime later when Damon can feel his feet and fingers again, he gets up and helps her put more wood on the fire. "We have to take these clothes off and dry them, otherwise we'll freeze to death." He starts to undress, hanging his garments on logs and branches. Seeing Elena's hesitation, he chuckles. "You ain't got nothing I haven't seen before."

"How do you know what I have?" she looks over her shoulder at his perfectly chiseled bare chest. She shivers at the sight.

"Basic human anatomy. You should be prepared for a couple inches of shrinkage."

"What is it with men, always worried about the size of their penis..."

"Oh stop, like your gender never worries about cup size. I thought maybe you were a large B but now I'm thinking you're probably a small one."

"I'm a full B, thank you very much," she starts stripping off her clothes, hanging them up as he did. "Don't turn around, I don't want to see your dangly bits."

"They're called nuts," he rolls his eyes. With their backs facing each other, they stay close to the fire. Never in her wildest imagination did she dream, she'd ever be standing naked with a stranger in the middle of a snow covered forest.

"This isn't awkward," she mumbles sarcastically.

"Nope, not at all," he replies, fighting the urge to look over his shoulder.

* * *

Waking up the next morning, Damon adds some more wood to the fire and picks up a handful of snow, both eating it and rubbing it against his skin. Moments later, Elena stumbles out of the tent, her hat in mittens in her hands.

He looks at her. There is a warmth her brown hair brings to her features, a simple frame for that smile and eyes that hold more mystery than she will ever admit to. The hue alters as the strands curl and move, as free as autumn leaves playing in the sunshine. He shakes himself out of it when she speaks.

"What are you doing?" she asks when he repeats the snow thing.

"Washing my face, don't you wash yours?"

"Well yeah, with a cleanser under the hot spray of the shower."

"Cold shower's the only way to go."

"I bet you need a lot of cold showers," she laughs, but picks up some snow to do the same. "Cold," she shivers.

"I think you missed a spot," Damon smirks and tosses a snow ball at her.

"This is war," she does the same, hitting him squarely in the jaw.

"Come on, we don't have time for this," he raises his arms. "But tell me, does your fiancé need a lot of cold showers too?"

Rolling her eyes, rather than answer she changes the subject. "What's for breakfast big man?"

"It won't be eggs and toast."

"That's okay, I don't like that."

"That's good because we have no food."

"Sounds to me like you didn't plan things out very well nature boy."

"You are so dead," he tackles her, rolling around in the snow till they're both laughing so hard that their eyes are watering.

Elena takes the time to really look at him. His eyes carry the warmth and life of the sunlit surface. They have a thousand hues of blue and a small touch of hazel radiating in softly swooping arcs.

Several minutes pass then Damon helps her up, they gather their things and start walking again. The winter trees shiver in the bitter wind, naked branches adorned with snow. Clusters of twigs, gnarled and twisted, extend like the very hands of old man winter, ready to catch the soft falling flakes. Several hours later, they reach the crest of a hill. Elena is worn out, her chest heaving as she gulps for air.

"Just down there," Damon points to the city below them. She doesn't now how far it is but at least they can see it. "Can we sit for just a minute?"

"Yeah but not too long, I'd like to get there before we lose daylight."

"I'm ready," Elena stands, takes a deep breath and starts walking. Damon smiles at her grit, grabs their bag and moves to catch up with her. It's dark by the time they arrive at the small motel on the outskirts of the equally small town. They're lucky to have gotten the last room.

The first thing they do is plop down on the bed, having slept on the hard ground for the last few days. "You want to go first or should I?"

"What?" Elena turns her head to look at him.

"The shower."

"I'll go," she swings her legs over the bed, grabs one of his tee shirts and goes into the bathroom, closing herself off from him for a few minutes... When she returns he's bare-chested and sleeping soundly.

Elena takes a breath and climbs in beside him. Sometime time later she awakens to the feel of his arm draped over her. It's more comforting that any blanket she's ever laid under. She is overwhelmed by his musky scent, as is her tee shirt, the bed sheets and when next she sleeps alone, it will make her feel safe and warm and happy. Very carefully she shifts to face him.

Ever so lightly she runs her hand over his muscular back, it's firm and yet soft at the same time. She wants to scream she loves him but there's Tyler and the woman, Lily that he's going to see. Gently she raises up on her elbow and presses the wispiest of kisses to his cheek. A single tear leaks from her eyes, followed by another one, and another, until soon, a steady stream flows down her cheeks. Shaking her head, she gingerly crawls out of bed, puts her clothes on and exits the room, pulling the door closed softly behind her. Once outside, she calls her mom and then waits in the lobby for her to arrive...

* * *

As Elena rouses from a heavy slumber, the first thing she's aware of is that she's not laying on the lumpy ground and nowhere is the loamy fragrance of it. She half wonders if she's still dreaming as she sits up in her own bed to take in the shafts of light that burst through the gaps in the curtain. Now awake, she's about to get up when there's a knock on her door before it opens and Tyler sticks his head in. She forces a smile, her finger running over her ring for a moment.

"Good morning," he comes in and sits on the bed with her.

"Hi Tyler."

"Welcome home. You look tired and beautiful... I missed you, Elena."

"I missed you too," she lies, knowing that she really didn't even consider him while on her once in a lifetime adventure.

"You were gone too long, no more okay?"

"Okay," she grins but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"Promise?"

Elena nods, pulling her covers up a little further.

"You had quite an adventure over the last few days. What happened?"

"Well I was chased by a disgruntled fur trapper and a giant bear. I nearly blew myself up and if that wasn't bad enough, we crashed into a icy lake and I almost froze to death."

"I can't believe you did all that," Tyler looks at her as if she's bending the truth a little.

"It is kind of crazy when you think about it but actually it was kind of fun and exciting in the moment. I wasn't even really thinking, just doing what needed to be done."

"I'm glad you're home, nothing will ever happen to you again," he kisses her forehead, gets up and leaves the room.

Elena plops back down and stares at the ceiling. She wonders what Damon is doing now and if he's with Lily. Sighing, she throws the covers back, gets up and goes into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

* * *

Elena's staring at the kitchen window, watching her sister, dad and Tyler rough-housing together in the snow. Her mom comes up behind her, resting her hand on her shoulder.

"They seem to be getting along a little too well," Elena mentions, wrinkling her nose before turning to face her mom.

"It's almost disturbing," Miranda laughs. "Did you get enough sleep? "

Elena takes a seat at the table, and nods. "Uh huh."

"Liar! I'm glad you're home, Elena. You are here aren't you?" she looks at her daughter knowingly.

"Of course..." her voice trails off.

"Does this have anything to do with the mountain man who got you here ?"

"Maybe," Elena admits, knowing her heart belongs to another man.

"Sweetheart, in less than six hours you'll be in that church about to walk down the aisle. After everything you've been through, if you want to postpone it, I think that'd be a reasonable thing to do."

"I don't have a good grip on reasonable right now?" she clutches her mom's hands. "Did you have second thoughts about marrying dad?"

"Yes, Elena, he's a little nuts, you know that... But Tyler, is he really who you want to spend your life with?"

Elena's eyes say it all.

"Does your adventurer have a name?"

"Damon Salvatore."

"Damon Salvatore? Like the author?"

"Author?" Elena asks, her mouth slightly agape.

"He's not on the best seller list, but I really like his work. Stay there, I have one of his books." Miranda leaves the kitchen, returning momentarily with a book. Obviously well read, the edges of the cover are frayed and the pages dogeared. When she opens the back cover, there he is, _her _Damon. Her heart starts to thunder inside of her chest as she touches his face with her fingertip.

"Elena?"

"Yes, this is him."

"You're a lucky girl. His mother lives across the street from my office..."

* * *

Elena stands in front of mirror looking at herself in her gown. It's beautiful but... Walking in, her mom leans over and kisses her cheek.

"You look incredible."

"Thanks mom. It is pretty," she adjusts her hair a little bit.

"The limo is waiting for us. Sweetheart, it's not too late to call it off."

"Mom, I appreciate the support but..." she squeezes her hand and walks outside and into the waiting vehicle. Her mom slides in beside her. The driver climbs in and just as he's starting the car, Elena places her hand on the front seat. 'Actually can you make a stop first?"

When they arrive at the Salvatore residence, Elena looks at her mom. She gives her daughter's hand a squeeze for good luck.

Sucking in a break, Elena rings the bell and waits. She's about to turn around when she hears the creak of it opening.

"I'm looking for Damon."

"Come in," she pushes the door shut behind her. "Damon's my son, I'm Lily."

"You're Lily?" Elena takes a moment, her breath catches in her chest. Finally she can speak the words, "Is he...? "

"No, you just missed him. He stepped out for a bit. And you must be Elena, he told me all about you.

"So he came to see you?" she asks, placing her hand on her belly where her gut is doing flip flops.

"He never misses my birthday."

Elena smiles through her anxiety at his thoughtfulness. "I really have to get going but you should know that your son is a hero. He saved my life about a hundred times. He's a good man, you should be proud." With a nod, she opens the door and ducks inside the limo. It pulls away and turns the corner just as Lily reaches the door to close it.

* * *

When Damon returned, his mom told him about their guest. He's standing by the window, his arm stretched out and holding onto the frame. He aches at the thought of seeing her smile or hearing her goofy laugh.

He wants it to be directed towards him. For him. Because of him. He wants to bring her joy; be the source of those lit eyes and dimpled cheeks. He wants to share the warmth she's given him. She worked hard, fought with him through every step of their haphazard adventure; even if it wasn't always in the right direction. Now he's left to wonder what life will be like as she fades from it, like if she was never there.

He can't let go, he doesn't want to. They're kindred spirits, he knows it's true. Although this ache is new, it won't wane. Maybe not ever...

"Damon, are you okay?"

"Yeah, mom," he lets go of the window and turns around to look at her.

"Is it that girl, Elena?"

"Mom, she's getting married as we speak."

"Maybe it's not too late. You'll never know unless you try. I don't want you to live with regret for the rest of your life if you don't."

A determined looks fills Damon's eyes. "You're right mom," he wraps her in a hug, grabs his coat and runs outside. Hopping on his snow machine, he looks back, waving at his mother before speeding away, hoping for a miracle...

* * *

Her arm linked with her dad's, they begin walking up the aisle where Tyler is waiting for her. Elena feels the panic begin like a cluster of spark plugs firing in her abdomen. When they reach him, Elena hugs her dad and stands opposite of her betrothed.

The minister begins, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to celebrate the joining of Elena and Tyler."

Tension grows in her face and limbs, her mind replaying the last few days with Damon. The thoughts are accelerating inside her head. She wants them to slow so she can breathe but they won't. Her heart is hammering inside her chest like it belongs to a rabbit running for its skin.

When she catches the celebrant say adventure, she repeats the word out loud and looks directly at Tyler. "I'm so sorry, Tyler, I can't do this. You're an amazing man but..."

"Elena, I thought we had a plan."

"That's the problem, Tyler. We always follow a plan. I went up north and you never once came to see me."

"I thought that's what you wanted, getting away, teaching in that little burg."

"I know, but I think that's what you need, a plan for everything. I thought that's what I wanted too but it's not. I'm so sorry, Tyler. I can't do this." She turns around, meets her mother's eyes who gives her a nod and then she walks out of the church.

Before she puts her foot on the first step, the distinctive roar of a snow machine fills the air. A moment later, Damon pulls up in front of her. He climbs off and moves to stand in front of her, in awe at how beautiful she looks.

"What happened to minding your own business?"

"That's what I'm doing, lady, you are my business. I'm not too late am I?"

Tightening her lips, her hand cracks across his face, snapping it back with the force of the blow. "You ruined my wedding," and before he can respond, she cradles his face and kisses him fiercely.

Elena's mouth on his steals the words he doesn't need to say. In that silence all of their secrets are laid bare, along with all of their passions and the spark of love that burns white hot between them. In this moment, in her love, he is strong. One kiss and he has the courage to do what has to be done.

"I guess ruining it isn't a bad thing," he quips, waggling his brows sexily at her.

"Not at all," she steals another kiss from his lips. "I love you."

"Let's get out of here," Damon extends his arm, gesturing for her to get on their transportation.

"I guess we didn't think this through... considering what I'm wearing," she looks down at her wedding gown.

"Elena wait," her mother runs outside holding her coat.

"Thank you mam, Damon hold sit up so she can slide her arms into it. After she hugs her mother, she hops on the machine and revs the engine. Damon gets on behind her and the two drive off, leaving all the guests behind as they disappear over a snow covered hill...

* * *

It's a cold night, blustery and icy outside, and while Damon is building a fire, Elena feels nothing but warmth both inside and out. _This is what happiness feels like. _It's so much different between them than it was between her and Tyler. Elena truly didn't know the real meaning of the word till she dropped into his life.

Damon crumples newspapers in the fireplace and tosses in a match. In moments, the fire is blazing cheerily in the ample fireplace, sending its warmth and light far out into the room. He smiles at her over his shoulder, looking boyish and pleased, and her chest aches in the most pleasurable of ways.

Sometimes she still has a feeling of disbelief. She hadn't been expecting a Damon to turn her world upside down, not when she was on the cusp of giving herself to another man. Now every day is like waking up on Christmas morning to find the one thing she's always wanted but never dared hope for. _True love. _It's exhilarating and sometimes it feels almost too good to be true.

She tugs some pillows and a fleecy blanket from the back of the couch. After spreading it out onto the floor, she sits down beside him. His face so lovely in the shadows of the fireplace. Damon sits back, the fire burning in earnest now, his eyes glimmering in the firelight as the flames lick at them. He is beaming and she's pretty sure that she is too as they watch each other. He scoots closer, resting a hand on her thigh, and she brushes her fingers against his cheek.

He leans in, pressing his lips to hers, and she can't concentrate on anything but the feel of him, his body warming her more than even the fire. He kisses her possessively, like he wants to steal her breath from her, and she clutches at his shoulders, never wanting it to end.

"Mmm... delicious..." he whispers hoarsely, his lips still brushing hers. He opens his mouth against hers once more, leaving her light-headed and feverish.

She presses closer, kissing him back so she can savor the taste of him on her tongue. His eyes flicker in the light from the fire, and she strokes her thumb over the corners of his mouth, still feeling dazed.

"This is real right? You did ask me to marry you?"

Damon smiles and reaches for her hand. The diamond of her ring flashes almost blindingly against the firelight.

"This should answer that question," he kisses her knuckle just above it. Stroking her bare arms, he gazes at her intently. His eyes are as dark and mysterious as the sea. She finds herself trembling, pressing herself even closer to him.

Elena kisses him again, but gently this time, moving slowly to savor the sharp sweetness of his mouth and the hard heat of his body. She rubs herself against him slowly, every inch of her body burning with desire.

"I've been dreaming of this all day," he pants against her cheek. Damon's lips burn a trail across her jaw and down her throat, and she is convinced that she might burst into flames herself. She claws anxiously at his shirt, several buttons pulling loose, but then she's falling backwards, and he is laying her down on the blanket beneath them, hovering over her with a look of pure heat and longing darkening his eyes.

"I love you."

She smiles, reaching up to stroke his cheek. "I love you too."

Damon settles his weight on her and she feels the burn all through her body. She toys with the hairs at the back of his neck and raises her knee, pressing it gently between his legs.

Before she realizes what's happening, he slips his hand beneath the waistband of her pajamas and panties, teasing her with the slow, gentle flick of his fingers. He looks serious now, his gaze is intense and she finds herself suddenly shivering under the weight of it. His hands move to the hem of her tank top, slowly tugging it off. He keeps his eyes on hers the _entire_ time, watching the ever growing heat in her cheeks, the now heavy-lids of her eyes, the way she pulls her lower lip between her teeth, knowing it drives him mad. When he slides her pants and underwear off, he presses his lips to her hip, breathing out softly.

As soon as she plucks his shirt buttons free, Damon drags his mouth along the tender skin of her jaw and down her throat, across her shoulders and near the tops of her breasts. He lays her back down against the blanket once his jeans are off, and she squirms beneath him.

His mouth is even hotter as it surges along the crease where her leg meets her hip, scorching when it trails over the burgeoning heat between her legs. It takes everything in her not to scream out loud, biting her lip and clenching her eyes shut and twisting handfuls of the blanket between her anxious fingers. Flashes of light burst under her closed eyelids, like lightening has exploded from within her.

She comes in a dizzying, mind blowing rush that leaves her panting and dazed on the living room floor. His tongue moves hotly down her spine, then over her ass, like he is claiming every inch of her skin. He tugs on her hips, helping her up to her knees, and as she rests her weight on her elbows, the feeling is nothing less than thrilling.

She feels him reach for his jeans and then hears the tearing of a foiled wrapper and she closes her eyes. Then his hands are on her hips again and he pulls her back against him and she feels the long, hard length of him against her inner thigh just before he slides into her. He shivers against her for a moment and she finds herself shaking too, her blood is burning in her veins. She gasps loudly when he starts to move, his hips circling in a maddeningly slow pace that has her pushing back against him almost desperately. She wants more and never wants it to end.

Damon won't be rushed, and he drapes himself over her, his chest pressing to her back so their warm slick skin nearly sticks together. He drives forward again and she eagerly jerks backward to meet him. The feeling of him inside her, so hot and hard and full, is almost torture, the sweetest kind.

Suddenly he stops, pulling of her. At the loss, Elena whines low in her throat. Damon makes a soothing noise, easing her back down to her stomach and flipping her over to her back again. Staring down at her, he brushes the hair out of her eyes and bends to kiss her once more.

"I want to see you..." Damon whispers against her mouth.

Elena arches her back and digs her fingernails into his shoulders as he pushes inside her once more. The fit seems even tighter this way, with her knees bent and cradling his hips. He gazes down at her, and studies her face. She fights to keep her eyes open, holding his body to hers for dear life.

In the firelight, he is unspeakably beautiful and she can see the way his muscles strain as he moves. He reaches a hand between them and massages her clit just enough that her eyes snap shut and her entire body arches like a bow and then the hot greedy waves pound through her like a tsunami, deep and powerful.

He keeps moving, almost like he can't stop himself, and groans beside her ear, the hottest, sexiest sound she's ever heard. When he stiffens his arms, the pleasure overtakes him too, it becomes more of a whimper.

"I love you so much," he rasps against her cheek.

She repeats his words breathlessly. Unable to hold himself up any longer, Damon collapses on top of her. She can feel his heart pounding against hers as he tries to catch his breath. She strokes his hair and kisses him wispily.

They'll have to disentangle themselves.

_Eventually..._

* * *

_Please forgive any grammar errors. I've read it over several times but it's funny how sometimes you overlook glaring ones. _

_This story was inspired by an old Hallmark channel movie. I thought it would make a fun DE story. To give proper credit, some of the dialogue is from the movie. All rights belong to them. _

_Thank you Eva. You are completely invaluable. Love you._

_Thank you for reading this and supporting all of our stories. Your friendships, kindness, reviews mean the world to us. _

_If you want to help us choose which story to post next. This is the synopsis for "The Quiet Room" Broke. Broken. He has nothing. And now he has to trust her. His shame. His heart. His very last chance... _

_And this is the one for "South of Santa Fe" __Fear is like the Phoenix. You can watch it burn a thousand times and still it will return..._

_Or "The Curse of the Pharaohs" Thousands of years ago, the boy King, Tutankhamen ruled. Few know the details of his life - no one knows the secrets of his death. After an archeological expedition__ discovers his tomb, people mysteriously begin to die..._

_TQR is a full length story whereas SoSF and TCotP are shorter ones.  
_

_Hope you all have a terrific day. And we'll see you next time with something new._


End file.
